Beyoncé's Choreographer JaQuel Knight Explains How "Beychella" Came to Be
Creating Beyoncé's internet-stopping Coachella performance required the utmost secrecy and lots of coordination, said the singer's longtime collaborator and creative director, JaQuel Knight.
"It's so much work that goes into it, from working with all the different departments, it's lighting, it's wardrobe, it's choreography, it's content, it's secrets, and keeping it on the hush." said Knight in an interview Tuesday on Cheddar. "So much time prepping in our small black hole, it felt like I was giving birth Saturday night to a baby that we had been creating for a long time now."
Knight, 28, has worked closely with Beyoncé for years: He led the team that put together her Coachella performance, which fans have dubbed Beychella, and he was the creative director and choreographer for her iconic 2008 ["Single Ladies"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY) video. He also choreographed her two Super Bowl performances.
He started out as a dancer before becoming a choreographer, and said that some of the artists with whom he works are more involved than others in different aspects of the performance.
"You have artists that are more involved and it's like, 'OK what's next?' and 'how can we do this and this a little bit more?'" he said. "And then you have people that are like, 'great, let's do this.'"
Knight was named one of [Forbes' 30 Under 30](https://www.forbes.com/profile/jaquel-knight/?list=30under30-music) and is the first choreographer to be included on the list.
"Forbes was a big thing that I was going after this past year, just because it solidifies me not only as a creative, but as a businessman," said Knight.
He is now hard at work on Beyoncé and Jay-Z's "On The Run II" tour, which is scheduled for the summer.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/jaquel-knight-shares-behind-the-scenes-secrets-from-beyonces-coachella-performance).
In a 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed for a controversial new version of the Alabama congressional map to remain in place. The lower court had previously ordered that the state must redraw that congressional map because it violates the Voting Rights Act by diluting the political power of Black voters. Redistricting expert Yurij Rudensky joins Cheddar News to weigh in.
The Winter Olympics are in full swing and athletes from around the globe are showcasing their elite skills at a wide variety of events. There's a lot of excitement but also a lot of pressure for these athletes. Former NFL defensive tackle and Super Bowl champion Dominique Easley joined Cheddar News to weigh in.
American freestyle skier Jaelin Kauf joins Cheddar News to talk about taking home the silver medal in the Women's Moguls Final at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
This episode of ChedHER is all about helping women thrive in their careers and rise up in the ranks. Guests include female leaders from across industries including sports, advertising, and so much more.
Sonja Stills, Commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, joins ChedHER to discuss her experience being the first female leader in this role, and how she plans on carrying on the legacy of the MEAC.
Sheri Bachstein, CEO of The Weather Company and GM of IBM Watson Advertising, joins ChedHER to discuss her successes in this role, and how she's helping women thrive in the c-suite.
Cate Luzio, CEO and Founder of Luminary, joins ChedHER to discuss how Luminary is supporting women at all stages of their career journeys, and the upcoming Chase for Business Fellowship to support business owners.
